I had the opportunity to walk around the Chiang Mai Walking Street, and it was very crowded.Book hotel near this placeChiang Mai Walking Street is a famous night market that tourists must check out, especially those who love shopping, eating street food, and experiencing the Lanna atmosphere.
There are two main areas that are popularly known as walking streets:
1. Tha Phae Walking Street (Sunday Walking Street): Open every Sunday from approximately 4:00-5:00 PM until midnight (stalls start setting up in the late afternoon).
Location: Ratchadamnoen Road in Chiang Mai Old Town, starting from Tha Phae Gate and extending to Wat Phra Sing, a total distance of about 1 km, plus side alleys and the temple grounds.
Highlights: The largest and most lively, with thousands of stalls selling many handmade items such as clothing, handicrafts, silverware, souvenirs, local art, traditional Thai massage, and street musicians and performances.
Food: Lots of options! Sticky rice with grilled pork, northern Thai sausage, noodles, grilled meatballs, sukiyaki, desserts, fruit smoothies (lots of strawberries in winter).
Very crowded, especially in the evening. 1. It's recommended to go early in the day for a leisurely stroll.
2. Wua Lai Walking Street (Saturday Walking Street): Open every Saturday from approximately 5:00 PM to 10:00-11:00 PM.
Location: Wua Lai Road, south of the old city, near Chiang Mai Gate.
Highlights: More relaxed atmosphere, fewer crowds than the Sunday Market, focuses on silver handicrafts (this area is an old silversmith community), high-quality handmade goods, local food, and traditional music performances.
Suitable for those who want to stroll without crowds, shop for authentic items at reasonable prices.
Both places have no entrance fee; it's free to walk around, but bring plenty of cash because there are tons of things to buy! If you're in Chiang Mai on a weekend, try visiting both days; the atmosphere is different for each. There are also other night markets such as the Night Bazaar (open daily) or Ploen Ruedee Night Market (open daily, with food and music), but when people talk about "Walking Streets," most people mean the two above.